Old Scout wrote:From the amount of equipment and supplies they are hauling in it must be a rather serious repair they are planning. Seems like I read that they plan on putting some kind of plate in on the water side. Perhaps MrBrowns can fill us in as I believe he is the one that wrote about it.

'So , the plate is going to act as a "buffer" to prevent erosion?

If so , why not put one on both ends of the dam. On each water side area?

And, maybe think of installing them at all dams in Tomahawk area?

I`m just thinking, whatever needs to be done, Now is the time to do it!

WVIC gearing up for Spirit Dam repair project this summerArea to be closed to public during dam work By Jed BuelowTomahawk Leader Sports/Nature Editorsports@tomahawkleader.comYears after the Spirit Reservoir was drawn down three feet and then six feet to address structural safety concerns with the Spirit Dam, Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company is set to begin a major repair project that will get underway this spring.Starting in May, WVIC and Staab Construction out of Marshfield will begin getting ready to install a number of 60-foot long steel sheet pilings that will be positioned along the upriver portion of the earthen dike making up the dam. Organizers are hoping to begin installing the pilings in early May and complete the project, referred to as Phase 1, sometime later this fall. Once complete, the steel pilings will run the length of the earthen dam with the goal of addressing a boil that was first discovered back in 2012.Peter Hansen, WVIC V.P. of Operations, said repairs being made will hopefully address safety concerns that actually have lingered dating all the way back to 1941, when a portion of the earthen dike failed causing a major washout of the structure all the way down to the bedrock. “The goal is to build a barrier to prevent water from moving through (the earthen portion) of the dam,” Hansen said. “We are hoping to have Phase 1 done by Thanksgiving, after which we can raise the reservoir three more feet.”If the work can be completed on time and tests prove the new barrier is working as intended, the Spirit Reservoir could be held to just three feet below full heading into spring. Ever since 2013 the Spirit has been held to three feet below full due to safety concerns, and the past two winters was kept at least six feet below full after an additional concern regarding the dam was discovered. “Most of the work for this first phase will be done on the top end. We are hoping this will address safety concerns that have existed since the failure.” Hansen stated in noting that at all times the dam area will need to be closed to the public as work takes place. Along with completing Phase 1, WVIC is currently working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to approve a Phase 2 plan that would address an erosion issue below the dam. If the plan is approved and work can take place next spring, the Spirit Reservoir could once again be raised to full once the second phase is complete.Hansen added he expects the area below the Spirit Dam will be temporarily closed to the public in the coming weeks when work to repair the dam begins.

I can see why they figure on having the dam done by Thanksgiving. They bring in a piece of equipment and disappear for the rest of the week. As of today they have a lot of equipment and trailers parked around the lot and on the dam but I haven't seen anyone there doing anything that looks like they are actually starting any work.

Old Scout wrote:I can see why they figure on having the dam done by Thanksgiving. They bring in a piece of equipment and disappear for the rest of the week. As of today they have a lot of equipment and trailers parked around the lot and on the dam but I haven't seen anyone there doing anything that looks like they are actually starting any work.

'Hmmmmm,........ Must be a Government Job. '

If they`re not using the equipment, why don`t you and me take it down the road and clean up The Fulsher School area!

They are working on it now. Mon - Thurs, long days but 3 day weekend. Not sure what all they are doing but a lot of steel has been driven in behind the berm. they also built a road to reach the south side for their equipment.

Old Scout wrote:They are working on it now. Mon - Thurs, long days but 3 day weekend. Not sure what all they are doing but a lot of steel has been driven in behind the berm. they also built a road to reach the south side for their equipment.

OH, Good!

They`re installing the special Walleye / Northern Pike barriers!

When the Walleye and Northerns hit those steel barriers, they turn around and go back into the The Spirit.

If they`re not using the equipment, why don`t you and me take it down the road and clean up The Fulsher School area!

Where would we find all the big dumpsters to haul every thing away? The roof has fallen in and I would be a bit nervous to go inside. The best thing anyone could do would be to burn it and haul out the remains. I have no doubt that someone would be happy to have a nice lot like that.

If the right person had purchased the school there are so many things that could have been done with the building.

They installed a steel wall the entire length of earthen dam that in some places goes 60 feet deep all the way down to bedrock. Over 2 million pounds of steel was used to complete the wall. Right now a specialty crew is working to pour concrete in the two gaps where the steel walls abut the dam structure on each side. Once this project is complete and the work is signed off on, they could begin refilling the dam to three feet below full, which in all likelihood will not happen until next spring, unless we get a fall deluge like we had last year. Next spring they plan to begin Phase 2 of work below the dam.

Phase 2 will involve addressing a boil that was discovered and addressed two years ago next to the fishing platform below the Spirit Dam. They plan to address it after the rainy season next summer. Not sure yet of what all the details will include, but I suspect it will be much less involved than the massive project that took place above the dam this fall. Let's just say water in the Spirit is pretty valuable to WVIC considering the money spent repairing the dam.

Now we just have to get in the habit of stopping for the stop signs on the bridge below the dam. I asked the county the reason for them and this is the reply they sent.

The stop signs are for logging trucks. They are coming at 90,000 to 120,000 pounds and bouncing on the weak bridge deck. The cars have to obey the same stop signs.

I asked, Was looking at the sign by the bridge today and am wondering why the trucks are allowed to carry that much weight when the bridge has a sign that states it is a 40 ton bridge. shouldn't it be restricted so they aren't overloading it.

The answer I received;

Bridge has been submitted in STP Bridge Program for possible funding this spring. (WisDOT). If picked, construction may happen in two to three years. It's all about money.

Lincoln County received a Structure Condition Evaluation Report from MSA Professional Services (Engineering) on December 15, 2016. Their recommendations were as follows:Decrease the loading to 40 ton to decrease the accelerated deterioration of bridge deck.All other vehicle loading over 40 ton should be evaluated on a case by case basis.Consider lowering the posted speed limit at the bridge to reduce impact load.Inspect the bridge every 12 months. Each inspection should evaluate load posting and lower as necessary based on observed conditions.Based on the evaluation done by MSA the Highway Committee decided to post the bridge, install stop signs to reduce impact loads and evaluated every 12 months and submit for funding to replace bridge. One of the major factors for this approach is materials being supplied to PCA Mill and the economic impact it has on Lincoln County.

mrbrowns wrote:Phase 2 will involve addressing a boil that was discovered and addressed two years ago next to the fishing platform below the Spirit Dam. They plan to address it after the rainy season next summer. Not sure yet of what all the details will include, but I suspect it will be much less involved than the massive project that took place above the dam this fall. Let's just say water in the Spirit is pretty valuable to WVIC considering the money spent repairing the dam.

'Phase 2 will involve addressing a boil that was discovered and addressed two years ago next to the fishing platform below the Spirit Dam.'

Do you think they will have to do a significant draw down to complete this phase?

Do you think they will have to do a significant draw down to complete this phase?From what I understand about the project and Phase 2 is that they will not need to draw the Spirit Reservoir down any further than it currently is. They plan to start work after the rainy season this coming spring, and then hopefully by next winter, the Spirit Reservoir will be returned to full pool, if precip allows, for the first time in many years. Once the Phase 1 portion of the project is signed off on, which should occur before open water, the Spirit will be returned to three feet below full in the spring (precip pending).

"Returning Spirit Reservoir to fullIf everything goes as planned and the massive upgrades prove water tight, riparian owners along the Spirit Reservoir could be enjoying a flowage at full pool by early as this summer. Wisconsin Valley Improvement (WVIC) announced plans to begin refilling the flowage with the upcoming snowmelt and spring runoff. Plans are to fill the Spirit back to three feet below full in the coming days, where it will be held for a week for monitoring to assure repairs made to the dam last summer and into this winter hold back the water. If no problems or leakage is detected, WVIC would resume filling the flowage by a about a foot a day until it is returned completely to full."

Looks like the work on the dam is complete. They are re landscaping the parking area and have resurfaced the temporary road they put in on the south side. Cleaned up the gravel and put in top soil and seeded it. They have put in top soil and seeded the back face of the dam and are putting gravel down in the parking area and fixing up the grass areas where the equipment was parked. Looks like it is complete and the water is only down a foot or so.

Old Scout wrote:Looks like the work on the dam is complete. They are re landscaping the parking area and have resurfaced the temporary road they put in on the south side. Cleaned up the gravel and put in top soil and seeded it. They have put in top soil and seeded the back face of the dam and are putting gravel down in the parking area and fixing up the grass areas where the equipment was parked. Looks like it is complete and the water is only down a foot or so.

'

Thanks for the update.

I`ve noticed the water level, although lower then other flowages, was at an acceptable level.

I was wondering if all the work was complete.

Hopefully with plenty of rain, and lots of snow over the winter, it will remain at a full , or close to full, level.